Cave Creek Museum

This small museum has some great info on how the area evolved from a military trail to a mini oasis in the Arizona desert. They have a replica mining operation in the back that shows how the miners extracted and pulverized rock in search of gold. Inside has some great displays of Native American society and how these amazing people thrived in one of the harshest environments on the planet. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable on each display. Bring your kids and teach them history!

Great hometown museum! I enjoyed learning about the history of the area and seeing the exhibits. They have indoor and outdoor exhibits, and some hands-on activities.

The most impressive part of this facility, is the dedication of the volunteers. They do a whole demonstration of the mining equipment a few times a year, and they are really committed to keeping the history alive. And the people working in the shop are super friendly. The whole place was really cool. I took a friend from overseas who had zero interest in mining, but she still found lots to see. Worth the 1 hour drive for us. If you want to visit on a demonstration day, be sure to buy your tix in advance, bc our tour was sold out. BTW we went back out to the mine entrance to take photos, and heard what we thought was a stray cat. Then, the sound changed to a barking sound. Then a bird sound! We couldn't see the vocalist, but we suspect a Mockingbird, since we'd seen one out there, earlier in the day. He was really funny to listen to. :)

A very small, but enjoyable museum about the history of Cave Creek. The attendants at the front desk were very polite and welcoming when we arrived. It is divided into two wings and an outside area with some mining equipment, a tuberculosis cabin, and a chapel. I especially liked all the information I could learn about the different Native American tribes, and the history of the mining that went on in the 1800s and early 1900s in Cave Creek. I took off one star just due to the size since it would be hard to spend over an hour here, however, I do recommend it for any fan of history, museums, or anyone who is interested in anything to do about Arizona or it’s heritage. $10 for adults and $8 for seniors to enter.

This was a great museum to see a lot of Native American artifacts. They have a huge display of pottery amongst other things the natives used in the area of Cave Creek and Carefree. They have a really neat mill and if you make and get reservations you can see them fire it up and crush rock and learn how they used to get gold. It was a pretty neat guided tour and informative. The people that work at the museum are all volunteers and have a passion to tech and show you how things were many years back. We live in the area and it was very cool to see the operations and all of the displays.

What a gem! For a smaller town, this museum packs a variety of historic nuggets into the exhibits and the grounds. We attended the Gold Stamp Mine Experience, and visited the rest of the museum after our Gold mining tour. We were very impressed with the guide who shared everything from the process to the hard life miners endured. Watching the stamp mill rumble to life was a treat. The Gold Mine Experience is only offered on certain weekends and you will want to buy tickets ahead of time.

Cave creek So much history here. I had no idea what stamping. Gordon Lightfoot’s song, Carefree Highway, it is also on the cover album. From miners, ranching, dude ranching, American legion’s, rodeos there is a lot to do in this area. Don’t forget to check out the original historic, first church, the gold panning exhibit, and the tubercular cabin. Craft day, I got to make a turkey and a beaded ear of corn, lol. Loved it. Diane, Caroline, Debbie, Buck Debbie Carolyn, Carolyn, Mia Mia, Audra & Evelyn, thank you for making our visits so informative and fun. Craft day, I got to make a turkey and a beaded ear of corn, lol. Loved it. I WOULD RECOMMEND

Small but very busy museum!

Nice small and appropriate size with lots of information regarding history. Lots of Native American pottery, dress and lore. Mining was big on this area earlier on. Displays are outside as well. Lots to see and learn. Won't take more than an hour and a half. Call first I understand posted hours aren't always the rule.

Small museum but packed with so much history and amazing artifacts. We used a BOGO Entertainment book coupon which saved me $8 on my 65+ mom. Like most of the towns started in AZ, Cave creek was built on mining, Native Americans and pure grit. The two gentleman who greeted us were friendly and well informed. Parking is free in the church next door. They have the last standing Tuberculosis cabin in the US.

Cave creek So much history here. I had no idea what stamping. Gordon Lightfoot's song, Carefree Highway, it is also on the cover album. From miners, ranching, dude ranching, American legion's, rodeos there is a lot to do in this area. Don't forget to check out the original historic, first church, the gold panning exhibit, and the tubercular cabin. Craft day, I got to make a turkey and a beaded ear of corn, lol. Loved it. Diane, Caroline, Debbie, Buck Debbie Carolyn, Carolyn, Mia Mia, Audra & Evelyn, thank you for making our visits so informative and fun. Craft day, I got to make a turkey and a beaded ear of corn, lol. Loved it. I WOULD RECOMMEND

Had to visit this establishment for history of the area. Loads of displays dated back decades ago. Friendly and knowledgeable volunteers to answer questions and provide information about the history of Cave Creek et al. Remember to check the outside area as well because there is more places to see!

A very small, but enjoyable museum about the history of Cave Creek. The attendants at the front desk were very polite and welcoming when we arrived. It is divided into two wings and an outside area with some mining equipment, a tuberculosis cabin, and a chapel. I especially liked all the information I could learn about the different Native American tribes, and the history of the mining that went on in the 1800s and early 1900s in Cave Creek. I took off one star just due to the size since it would be hard to spend over an hour here, however, I do recommend it for any fan of history, museums, or anyone who is interested in anything to do about Arizona or it's heritage. $10 for adults and $8 for seniors to enter.

We have been learning about mining in AZ and visited the museum and took the lecture and learned so much about mining in Carefree! We did not have enough time to linger inside the museum for very long but we will be going back. The tour of the stamp mine is fantastic. Greg is an excellent guide on the journey of mining in the AZ desert of the 1800's. It's not only a lecture but a mini demonstration of how they mined gold out of the desert. After the lecture there is an opportunity to pan for your very own gold. It's fantastic. I am sorry I have not been up there until recently.

We came here on a a Phoenix Cultural Pass and loved every moment we were visiting there. The staff is amazing. The exhibits are so awesome. And the outdoor garden of labeled cactus types was really cool. There's so much history in that little museum. It's packed with so many things that we had fun discovering. And right now there's The Legacy of Gerry Jones. He's a talented Architect. There's amazing restaurants and shops minutes away from it as well so we had fun all day and will be back for more.

We have been here before and thought it was good. We went again and many things have changed. We go yearly but last year missed it due to Covid. We talked with several volunteers and they told us many things change yearly. This year was a totally awesome, a table with food all represented by rocks. I was surprised to see how unique it was. Each item of food, meat, fruit, vegetables, desserts, and even drinks were rocks. That in itself is so worth to go there to see. We truly enjoy going there.

An outstanding museum of the history of Cave Creek and of the pioneers and native Americans who lived here. The displays are wonderful done and presented. There is also an outstanding outdoor exhibit with the actual mining mill that was assembled. This is a must stop if you are in the area.

My second time here. Last month, I was looking for something to do in Cave Creek and found this museum. On the website, it said they had a gold mining experience on the second Saturday of each month. Well, we went on the second Saturday, but we didn't know that it started at 11am and you have to signup for it in advance. We toured the museum and I was impressed how much was there even though it was a small museum. Loved the food from rocks table display. Also was more interested on the left side exhibits, especially about medicine and we had a docent turn on the mini mill machine. They have the tuberculosis house in the back so it was cool to walk inside and outside to explore. When you are going outside in that hallway area, there is music that ties into the display there (this is all going off memory from last month). So we left with a lot of info and vowed to get in this month. We were the first ones signed up lol. When we went to check in, they didn't have us on the list, but thankfully, all the ladies remembered us and we got in. I absolutely loved the tour. The tall guy that started the tour is a great storytelling, very engaging and a loud voice so everyone could hear. I enjoyed the blacksmiths too. When the tour separated into two groups, it was hard to hear the other guy speak, but I still liked watching them all work as miners. The coolest part was the mill/grinder. At the end, you can pan for gold:) I had a lot of fun and would recommend this to anyone. When you drive in, you will think you are in the wrong place cuz it just looks like a dirt road. Keep driving and then park at the church next door. Then you can walk on the street to go around or go down the "hill." Look for the clear areas vs walking into the trees and bushes like I did lol.

Cool little museum packed with interesting info. We first heard about it because they participated in National Museum Day today and Smithsonian provided 2 free tickets. There's a whole room dedicated to finds from archaeological digs, and another with historical (mostly post-colonial) stuff. Really cool artwork and native animal stuff in the main area. In the back, they had old gold panning equipment and a church. There was a tuberculosis cabin that was closed for repairs. The grounds were interesting as well. Neat little place.

A must see when you visit Cave Creek. Check their website for the hours and events. Great for the whole family

I apologize to the nice ladies at the museum, but for those of us with some wind left in our sails, it would prove boring. Seven dollar door fee, several rooms with some stuff, an old replica and church in the yard. But our elderly aunt liked it, she pondered over the old arrowheads and broken pottery for a good ten minutes.

The Cave Creek Museum has added a new program, the Arizona Gold Mining Experience. They do it only once a month, check their website for dates, but it's really informational and entertaining. Different people speak at different points in the program, but the really tall guy who started the program was a hoot. Very entertaining, but he got a lot info in as well. The whole program is like "a day at the mine" and you end up gold-panning as well, and I didn't get any gold, but I got some pretty agate and a nice amethyst. They give you an armband and there were lots of people, so we went over to Indian Village and had tacos, and came back to tour the Museum. It had been a while, but this is not the same Museum as a couple of years ago. I heard they are under new management and it shows. All the exhibits were very professional and of high quality. I was kind of sad they got rid of the Mine Model, but now they have a model of the Cave Cave Creek s name after. The Meal of Rocks was a really interesting display. Rocks that look like food! The docents are all super nice and knowledgeable. And I spent too much money at the gift shop, but I ended up buying a couple of books, a cute pair of earrings and a smudging bundle. The lady in the shop said they are getting Arizona Gold Mining t-shirts in and I might have to swing by---love to represent my town! Anyhow, very impressed!

Great little museum. Has both archeological and historical exhibits. Highlights the mining history of the area. Small museum; can be completely explored in less than two hours. But for $3, it's hard to argue with th size. And children under twelve are free. Slightly off the beaten path, but worth the drive.

This is a little, hard to find gem, as it is oft the beaten track, but well worth the effort. I have been to a lot of small town museums and this ranks right there at the top. Excellent exhibits giving a wonderful history of the area. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about the exhibits and area. Allow some time to go through everything.

This is a neat and sometime too hidden gem in our community. I like taking visitors and guests here and always learn something new too. The running of the stamp mill is something to see! A real, unique and restored piece of American history. The docents and knowledgeable and really paint a picture of what the town was like way back when. It is a wonderful asset to Cave Creek.

Amazing museum that chronicles the history of Cave Creek in addition to Native American heritage. The gold mining stamp mill demonstration is fantastic and panning for gold for kids afterwards is a real treat. Excellent place to visit and spend a few hours well worth the trip.

The work and efforts that have gone into this community museum is admirable. The directors and docents have worked very hard to portray the history of Cave Creek in a remarkable way. Having these pieces of history in Cave Creek is amazing!